1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the telephonic art and more particularly to the use of automatic phone-answering machines controllable through pre-established codes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The automatic phone-answering machine is a device well known in the telephonic art. However, the known machines are all designed to answer automatically any call which is received on the phone line to which they are connected. The phone subscriber may or may not connect the machine to the phone line. But when he is present at the place and he has the machine connected to the phone line, he is not able to know whether a call is being received or can he know whether the calling party is or is not a desirable one. All the calls will be automatically attended by the machine. And, if he has the machine disconnected, then all the calls will activate the ringing bell of his phone set. Thus, it would be highly desirable to have a system by means of which it would be possible to know if the calling party is or is not a desirable one. Then, if the called party desires to attend the call, he would be able to do so, and, if he does not want to attend it, then the automatic phone-answering machine would be automatically connected to the phone line. The same action would take place if he does not attend the call because he is absent from the place.